About the Book
SONGS FOR CHARLOTTE Between October 1999 and February 2000, singer/songwriter Paul Murphy wrote almost 40 songs, which became known as the 'Love Songs For Charlotte Tableaux'. Detailing the start, bloom, decline and desecration of a multi-sided relationship in real-time, the pieces yielded 5 albums, released on Paul's own label, before being withdrawn in late 2001 with the passing of one of the 'participants' through substance abuse. Struck down with incurable Progressive Neurological Disease, in early 2022 Paul began making his song catalogue available online, including YouTube videos, so that his young children "can hear what daddy did when they grow up." Public reaction to the material was extremely positive, and Paul began anthologising his lyrics and performance-prose into collections [Stories That Rhyme, Bitter Realities, Songs Without Music, and the acclaimed Love, ]. Enquiries continued to come in about the availability of the 'Charlotte' songs, which were achieving a high level of online interest, mainly due to their nature - from empowering, optimistic, emotive love ballads to dark-shadowed corners of the soul, and back again. Especially receiving of attention was the epic "End-Move" - a 73-minute song that made up an entire album of its own. Due to its nature - it is, in effect, an 'intent to leave' note - Paul was wary about releasing the song at all. However, as unofficial releases of the song were circulating, Paul had made the work available, reasoning he was then able to point out that, 23 years after the events of "End-Move", he was still alive, a happy, contented father of 2 young children. The cruel twist, of course, being that just as Paul was emerging from 'house-husbandry' and preparing to return to the stage for the first time in a decade, he was stricken by one of the vilest and merciless of diseases (unnoticed by medical practitioners until it was well advanced). Told in early November 2022 that he should "make the most of every day", Paul finally agreed to anthologise the Charlotte songs, drawing on his lyric files and all available session recordings (several songs were written 'live-to-mic' in the style of David Bowie, and needed to be transcribed). Presented here, in 'release' order of the 5 CDs, and with the inclusion of some songs that were recorded at the sessions but never utilised, is all of the known 'Charlotte' material. In addition to the lyrics, Paul created for this anthology an all-new, 6,000-word essay, It Was A Hell Of A Ride. Detailing the story behind the background; the creation of the songs; the recording sessions and the music; the composing (including the night of 18.11.1999, when, starting at just past midnight and ending at 8a.m. Paul composed 6 of his most popular songs, including the 'net-favourite Friendship and the epic, 23-minute Love Song For Charlotte); and the 'encore' when, following the events of "End-Move", Paul moved on with his life, only to have someone try to walk back into it, as they sank into a mire of abuse. Accompanying the lyrics and Paul's essay are photographs of some of Paul's original handwritten lyrics, and Paul also included, for the first time, sketches of him in concert in 1991, drawn by the legendary Australian artist Jahara Rhiannon. Sadly, Paul was unable to complete a final edit of this book. Out of respect, it has been released as it was when he 'left' it. All of the words are Paul's, all the formatting is Paul's, and so, as he would no doubt wryly smile at, are all the spelling mistakes. Fittingly - and heartbreakingly - the final words Paul ever wrote, 'in artistry', are the closing ones to this anthology; a dedication, and declaration of love, to his two young children, written, poignant
